Detroit Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek pulls plug on the Tampa Bay Lightning, Corey Perry inspires the Anaheim Ducks

Detroit Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek saved his team as they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in the opening game of their Stanley Cup play-off series on Thursday.

The Red Wings had entered the game in Tampa Bay with a supposed goaltender problem but Mrazek made 44 saves, while Pavel Datsyuk scored twice in Detroit's 3-2 triumph.

Surprisingly, Mrazek was the dominant gloveman, as Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop produced a sub-par performance with 12 saves from 14 shots.

"Found a way to win as a team. It wouldn't have been the way I would have drawn it up, but I don't care, you got a win," Detroit coach Mike Babcock told reporters after the game.

"Mrazek stood tall for us. We can all get better, which is a positive thing."

Detroit scored their first two goals - both courtesy of Datsyuk " from just four shots, taking a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

The Lightning dominated puck possession from there, outshooting the Red Wings 27-10 through two periods.

The hosts finished with a 46-14 shot advantage but Mrazek made a number of big saves and was steady throughout his first career post-season start.

The Lightning, who had the league's best powerplay record in the regular season, failed to score when they had a man advantage on seven occasions.

In California, the Anaheim Ducks trailed 2-1 to the Winnipeg Jets with a period to play but eventually won 4-2.

Corey Perry scored twice in the final period and set up the third for Ryan Getzlaf, who also notched an assist, as the Ducks brought their considerable play-off experience to bear.

Perry's second goal was a little peculiar.

Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec made the save on the initial shot but Perry buried the rebound.

The goal was not originally awarded and play continued.

It was finally paid almost two minutes later during a review after the next whistle was blown, in the most anticlimactic game-winning goal in recent play-off memory.

Elsewhere, the New York Rangers held off the Pittsburgh Penguins to win 2-1, while the Minnesota Wild secured their first game one play-off victory since 2010 with a 4-2 triumph over the St Louis Blues.